Islamabad, May 19 (IANS) Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani Tuesday urged the Ulema to come forward and project the true image of Islam and to counter extremism and terrorism.

“The Ulema played an important role in Pakistan’s creation and now again it is time that they stand united to protect the country from all challenges,” APP quoted Gilani as saying while addressing the national Ulema and Mashaikh conference here.

Lucknow, May 19 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati Tuesday suspended two party legislators in Uttarakhand for working against the party and indulging in anti-BSP activities, party sources said.

Qazi Mohammad Nizamuddin and Chaudhary Yashveer Singh were accused of carrying out election campaigns in Uttarakhand in support of Congress Lok Sabha candidates, they added.

London, May 19 (IANS) Britain’s foreign minister Tuesday praised the outcome of the Indian elections, saying another five years of stable government will enable the two countries to jointly tackle “urgent global and regional challenges”.

Welcoming the Indian elections as a testimony to the “health of the world’s largest democracy”, Stephen Miliband said: “We look forward to continuing working closely with the new Indian government to address the many urgent global and regional challenges we face.

New Delhi, May 19 (ANI): Reiterating New Delhi’s stand for a political solution to the issue of minority rights, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday urged the Sri Lankan government to reach out to Tamils and build a political accommodation that protects the rights of all its citizens.

Ahmedabad, May 19 (IANS) The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) is set to launch a Gujarat-specific weather information website June 1, an official said Tuesday.

The website, which was long sought by the Gujarat government considering the state’s 1,600 km-long coastline and the increasing maritime activity. It would also enable authorities to warn the people living in the coastal areas of the approaching cyclonic conditions so they could move to safer places elsewhere.

Pilibhit, May 19 (ANI): After being in the limelight for his hate speech against a minority community, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Varun Gandhi on Tuesday allegedly misbehaved with a journalist here.

Greater Noida, May 19 (IANS) A businessman was robbed of Rs.14.50 lakh cash in the Tilapta area of Greater Noida Tuesday morning, police said.

According to the police, Kesh Ram, 44 and his son Sunil Kumar, 23 were returning to their home in Sakipur area after withdrawing the cash from the Punjab National Bank (PNB) at Railway Road near Dadri, when four men on two motorcycles intercepted them.

New Delhi, May 19 (ANI): A day ahead of the crucial meeting of pre-poll UPA allies, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi.